Monthly Archives: September 2007

Well, I have been too busy, way too busy, and it took me going in for my dreaded yearly exam to find the time to sit and read this. You always have to wait, so I took it and enjoyed every article slowly while waiting. It helped me through wondering why they have such a ugly angel figure to stare at on the ceiling and couldn’t they change the magazines in the rooms once in awhile among other thoughts! <p>
This issue was really, really good! <p> I think it was because there were so many topics anyone could relate to, whether they homeschool or not. <p> The main subject was about the tongue, but did not deal only with the tongue. <p> The article that I really, really appreciated was Soccer Lessons by Val Smith, about the mom who looked down on a soccer coach simply because of how she was dressed and how thin she was. She spoke about how issues like modesty are important, but where is our heart at? Do we truly have the right spirit? I think this issue is such a vital one as i see so often people who have all different ways of dressing. I though get alot of judgment from the other side of people who judge me for the way i dress. Usually no one says it to my face, but I hear it through the grapevine. It really hurts! I think it is important to look beyond clothes and see the heart of the person before you judge! <p> Then there was Shelley Noonan’s article, which made me wish I had daughters and wonder when someone will tell me what to do with boys! It was great though!<p> I really enjoyed reading about the Merchant Mama’s articles on different small business owners and how they started. Gehman Fabric’s was one of the featured businesses. I have heard wonderful things about their fabric! <p> This issue was just chock full of wonderful articles, recipes, and useful advice! If you do not already subscribe to TEACH
you should seriously think about it. The encouragement you will receive will be worth it!

"I’d like to know how you use powdered milk to make white sauce and how do you flavor it to replace creamed soups? It’s something I’ve always thought of doing. Thanks. "<p>

We have made white sauces as long as I can remember, but we never did it the traditional way as it takes alot of butter and is not so good for you. How I do it now, is mix 2 c. milk (or if i am using powdered milk, I make 2 cups powdered milk), 2 T. cornstarch, 1 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper. Whip with wire whisk until smooth, heat in the microwave for 2 minutes, until thickened and bubbly, stirring often with wire whisk to prevent lumps. <p> Then I add spices to flavor it, usually a bit of garlic powder and some onion powder. If it is something like green bean casserole, that I am adding cheese to, then I do not add any butter, but sometimes you can add like a teaspoon for better flavor. This is fine in casseroles as often they have you add their own spices on top of the "cream of Mushroom soup" or whatever. I make Cheeseburger and Fries casserole which my boys love with this, it has cheese in it and needs no extra fat and tastes great with this plain white sauce.

I was sitting here trying to think of something wonderful and frugal to talk about since Crystal at Biblical Womanhood always posts the frugal Friday’s, but nothing was coming to mind. <p> Sometimes you live a frugal lifestyle that it is becomes normal and mundane to you! <p> Anyhow, I am going to be making myself a challenge this next month, to only spend a certain amount on all groceries, paper goods. So, I am trying to look at my budget to see what would make it a challenge. For one thing, I am trying to plan out my meals for week and only have to go to the store once a week. it may end up twice a week as I usually have to shop 1 grocery store, Costco some months, and the bread store. The bread store, I can still walk there though, but it is a little heavy to carry back all the bread. while hanging onto little ones. <p> So, what can i think of to cut out extra expenses, without sacrificing quality of life, health of our family and and not be stressed? <p> I don’t know if this will eliminate stress, but I am potty training this month. We are going to try to be done with diapers. It may take awhile still at night, but at least in the day time. We are already cutting back on them. <p> Collect, can and freeze as much free and cheap food as I can. I have already done more this year, it will make our peanut butter and jelly sandwich lunches much more varied this winter with all the different jams. September was an expensive month, as it is also the time to stock up on food for the winter as well as the storage shed, washer repair, and a car repair. <p> I am trying to use all powdered milk in baking or white sauces. That saves the milk I buy for drinking or cereal. I have alot of powdered milk still, so it really helps. I always make my own white sauces instead of buying cream soup. Cornstarch and powdered milk make them really cheap. You can add a little butter to make them richer if you need it. <p>
De-cluttering- I am hoping this really helps me, not to save money, I guess, but to keep cleaning to a minimum. Right now, we are just at the tip of the iceberg, so I have a long way to go! Maybe though, I can save enough money to buy a lamp!

Fall is here and it is really lovely! Of course for someone who enjoys all seasons except the hot summer, all seasons are lovely! <p> It will be fun to see how winter turns out! We only got to go sledding once last year, so it will be fun to go more if we get more snow! I even bought some snow pants last year so maybe I will get a chance to try it out!
<p>
Yesterday my grandma left for CO. It was rather sudden and was really hard emotionally on me, it was harder than I thought it would be. I guess, I think that you get to where it would be easier to not have all the stuff to do, taking care of her, but when it was time for her to go suddenly, I just felt like sobbing and sobbing. I guess it is better that way then being cold about it. <p> We finally started our Math-U-See. H. loves it! It is really good for him and simple to teach. I also did a different kind of math with P. this week as his book has disapeared. It is weird as I know it is in the house and usually things are not that hard to find, but maybe because I have not had alot of time to look. Anyhow, I pulled out Grocery Cart math, where you do math at the grocery store. It is a supplement book, so we are doing that and he did some times tables also. We are working on memorizing those, so lots of drilling. They are working hard, sometimes and other times slightly lazy. I need to do art today as well! We bought these really nice art packets from Pathway. <p> I have alot of books to read of all kinds. I have been way too busy though! <p> Monday: Dentist appts and MOPS<p> Tuesday: Grandma, Shopping, and I made three batches of plum jam<p> Wednesday: Grandma was leaving and it sure ended up exciting. I was having a hard time with it and could not make myself go to her apartment. I finally decided to go and was almost there when the brake pedal on the van went to the floor suddenly. I let go and go brake pressure, but then it happened again! I was right by the brake shop, so dropped it there to get worked on. I waited awhile and then walked over to grandma’s. We went to my sister’s and had lunch and were getting ready to leave for the airport when we realized a terrible thing. My mom had accidently taken grandma’s carry on bag to a doctor’s appt. with her. It was back in town 15 minutes away and she was supposed to be checked in now! We raced in to get it and raced back to get grandma and luggage checked in. She almost missed her flight! So, then there was no long goodbyes and nobody had time to cry really, so maybe it was better that way! The past picture we had was grandma racing off on her scooter, going a very speedily toward the plane! She was really clipping along! <p> Anyhow, today is thursday and Home day! My washer is fixed (Yay, for my husband and brother) and I am working on laundry. I have to go pick up the van later this afternoon and then have my aunts birthday party, which will mess up my schedule a little, but isn’t that life? People are more important though! So, maybe next week, I can sit and read?

I mentioned the bears that my parents were having trouble with. Well, I guess it is a problem throughout most of the western states. I was reading a news link on yahoo about it. It said they have been coming into grocery stores, one broke into a daycare……<p> I guess my mom was blessed! This article
has a picture of the bear that was stuck in the tree outside her birth center in the middle of town for 18 hours. It was scared they said! Hey, at least mom got some free advertising! <p> It is weird though slightly to me, I know we had hot summers before, but the animals and insects like the bees have been acting strangely. It makes me wonder, I remember when we listened to the Long Winter by Laura Ingalls, how the animals acted weird before the strange winter. It would be fun to get alot of snow though!

This morning i went to MOPS and we had a great speaker Tricia Goyer
She is a published author of great historical fiction and non-fiction, (the book I wrote about a couple days ago). She was talking about parenting and time. <p>She had a chart where we wrote out the things we do in our home, work and for our spouse and children and self. Then we separated it into things that we have to do (like shower, feed children change diapers etc.) then things that are good to have done, but no one dies if they are not done (laundry, wash floors etc.) then Outside activities that are good to do (like shopping for food, church etc) then things that don’t fit into those other three. She said if you are too stressed, then you need to just cross off the fourth one. <p> The problem for me is the things that you can get rid of are the things that help me alleviate the stress…! But I loved the point then she was making! She had a target and said to write in the bulls-eye what you want your children for sure to know before they leave home. Then next circle, less important, but still important. Outer circle, stuff that if they leave before they know, it is not going to hurt them. Then aim towards the things in life that will help you to teach those goals you have in the bulls-eye! <p> She said something that struck me, about how we rush around and are stepping over stuff and hurrying them for this and that, and think tomorrow it will be different and that will be their good memories. What we do everyday, is their memories, so make it count. <p> She writes some of the best historical fiction I have ever read, so if you like a true to life fiction that really grips you, read her book Dust and Ashes or Night Song. They are a little sad, so be prepared, but they have happy things also. <p> So, after MOPS we went to the dentist with all 4 boys, only one had a couple of tiny cavities, the rest are doing great, so that is good! Reminds me to keep up with brushing their teeth! <p> I just was on the phone paying bills and trying to figure out why a credit was not issued to a card when I returned stuff! Fun…..Still did not get to the bottom of that! But the electric and phone bill are paid! <p> I found out it was cost someone almost $70 to come to the house to put the drain hose in my washer. My husband thinks he will try!
Whenever I look at stuff to cut out of my life, it never seems like the stuff that would be nice if it were gone is an option to cut out. My grandmother says she is leaving/moving away again, so after a month, it will really help with stress levels. We split the work between 4 of us and it is alot of work still. My aunt is going to try all alone, pretty much. Grandma is having surgery though this coming week, I think, on the hole in her foot. It has gotten really gross, but you know, it is a blessing to be able to care for her and be around her. We never really got to do that growing up, so it has been great. We will miss her alot though! I realized though, alot of the stuff I have to do is because I homeschool, although people tell me even when they are in school you run alot also. <p>
F. is trying to get shelves up in the storage shed finally! Then we can get everything back into it. He painted the trim on Saturday and now we still have garbage to get rid of. We have no truck so it is hard to figure out how to get rid of it, but I guess the landlords will take it, but they may charge us for it, but at this point I am tired of it here. We are going to get everything in the yard all cleaned up and put away for fall/winter. It is gotten cold! We turned on the heater today as I couldn’t take it anymore! I usually try to wait for Oct! <p> Well, I got books to read and I need to figure out how to fix the soup I made for lunch or make something else!

Well, this may TMI, but I got my first bladder infection and it really was not the most fun that I ever had. I need to drink more water. It made me fall behind on everything though! It has been hard to catch up, but we got the house semi-clean today, I baked a couple of large loaves of zucchini bread with some chocolate chips in it. It was good! The house is cold today also so it heated it up!<p> My sister came home from school for a visit and she brought my husband’s niece with her whom I have not seen in years. My sister and I practically raised her when she was younger, and it is funny to see her grown up! They came here and ate lunch before they went home. <p> Tonight we are going to have soft tacos and I had better get to work if it will be ready before my husband gets home. Also, I need to try to go pick up our washer drain hose.<p> I came back to add, that our washer hose I think was leaking, however it looks so major to me, I am scared to try it. My husband thinks he can figure it out, but he is slightly concerned…..<p> Has anyone ever replaced a drain hose?

My life, Unscripted…… when I got this book in the mail, I was curious about the title, but after curling up with this book before it was time for my blog tour, I was not disappointed. I love Tricia’s writing! Her fictional characters are someone you may meet on the street or read about in a history book, and no different with this book. <p>
Whether you are a teenage girl or not you will probably find yourself in one of the scripts on these pages.
Tricia uses the format of a TV or movie script to tell stories and then discusses each scenario with you using bible passages, notes from other girls and straight talk from the author herself. This book is a great guide to teaching girls how to have a plan of attack before temptation or hardship comes. Some of the stories, sad to say, have come from her own past, but she uses them as an example so we can learn from them. <p>
It is a great book to give to a family member that you know is in the normal teen life and will be face with all the temptations that go along with that. <p>

As an example she asked us on her blog tour to write an example script from something in our life. I grew up a lot more conservative than some of the examples in her book, but that is not to say we did not have whole lot of scripts in our life to decide between right and wrong. We grew up without watching TV, were homeschooled, hardly ever did sleepovers even, my first “boyfriend” was my husband and we never dated, in fact were never alone together really before we got married, still there was temptation in our lives. <p>

Fade in:<p>
Int. Library: ESTABLISHING:<p>
The musty smell of all the SHELVES FILLED WITH BOOKS is in the air, it is a beautiful SUMMER DAY outside, and PEOPLE walk around speaking in hushed tones.<p>

Between Library Shelves:<p>
There are so many books on the shelves. You have been bored at home and really would like something to read that is different, interesting and exciting. You do not want to read biographies like your mom wants you to. <p>

Martha: <p>
One book that is risky won’t really hurt, will it? I know mom would not like it, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her? <p>

(Choose book)
<p>
Martha; (Guiltily looking around) <p>
Oh my, this one doesn’t look too bad. Mom did buy one of this series, she doesn’t know it had a questionable scene in it, but I am not about to tell her. You know if I don’t take it home, and just read it here outside before I ride home, it won’t be bad. <p>

(Checking out book) <p>

Martha:
I will just sit out here and read for a while, if it is bad I will return it and then it will hurt no one.

In her heart she knows it is wrong, but chooses to read it anyway.<p>

Fade Out<p>

What do you think I did not know? The written word can stick with you! I still remember the books that my mom would not have wanted me to read several years later. The words and actions come back to me. My excuses to myself do not help now when I knew later when I was in bed afraid because I read a true crime book or a fiction book that was not meant for my age group or the like.
Now, all of you may be laughing by now, “That is the worst thing you could think about writing about?” I told you I was conservative, but still this was one thing I am very sorry for. The things I read affected my life in many ways as they were my influence, where as many girls have things like TEEN magazine or friends at school or even church. We did not have any of those things all of my teen years, but I know that even if you did grow up like me, you have things in your life that scripted your life. <p>

Now, below is some more info from Tricia on the book, but leave me a comment and I will enter you to win your own copy for yourself or a girl whom you can think of that could really use this book! <p>
In order to enter I would like you leave a short script of something in your life that you see how it effected your life as an adult, when as a young person, you did not see how it could.<p> If you don’t want to do that and just want to buy the book, Amazon
carries it. If you would like to read the first chapter, this link will take you there.
<p>

An interview with Tricia Goyer!

Q: Tell me about My Life, Unscripted<p>

Sure! With real-life scripts, screen writing terms, and timely topics,My Life, Unscripted
helps teen girls explore their own inner struggles an outward relationships. It’s my hope they’ll learn the importance of "scripting" their own responses BEFORE challenging Life-situations arise.
By contrasting real-life with TV/movies, it’s my hope that teen girls will understand
they don’t have to get caught up in the drama. They don’t have to face situations as they arise, but rather they can think about, pray about, and consider how to
face these situations before they hit the big screen of their lives.<p>

Q: Is it true that much of YOUR story shows up in these pages?<p>

Gulp. Yes, I’m afraid so. In fact, I shared parts of my story that I SWORE I’d never tell a soul.<p>

Q: Tell me about these scripts.
<p>
The introductory script of Trish Valley shows a scene where Trish urges her mom
to follow Trish’s boyfriend into the McDonald’s parking lot so she can"spill her
news." The other girl in the car and her boyfriend’s response to Trish’s pregnancy
are unfortunately not fiction. I wrote out the scenes as they would appear in an actual script. I even use all the correct terms and layout.
<p>
Q: In addition to teen pregnancy, what are some of the other "scripts"?
<p>
Do I have to tell? Well, I guess it’s in print now! Let me see: fists Fights with a rival, sneaking out of my parents’ house, getting caught by my boyfriend kissing his best friend–does that give you an idea? Do I have to go on?
<p>
Q: No, you can stop there. But WHY? Why did you decide to share these stories?
<p>
First, because I want girls to understand the heartache of unwise decisions. I want to them to be able to relate to me, rather than feeling preached at.Also, I wanted to share my stories because many young women have faced the same type Of situations, or they know friends who have. And finally because they are great
Object lessons for the importance of following biblical truth. That is something I did learn!
<p>
Q: What does your teenage daughter think about this book?
<p>
Leslie thinks it’s great I’m able to connect with other teens. She’s heard these
stories for a while! She was 11-years-old when we first started volunteering together
at a support group for teenage mothers together. As I taught the young moms things
like nutrition and potty training, Leslie assisted adults in babysitting the toddlers.
And while we loved giving and serving, it was the ride home that soon became the most meaningful part. As Leslie sat in the passenger’s seat, I could see her mind
considering my life as a teen mom, and she started asking questions.
Although it was hard to talk about my past mistakes, I knew this was an ideal opportunity
to share real-life truths with my daughter. Each person walking this earth has regrets.
Our talks showed me that instead of hiding my past troubles (and hoping My kids
didn’t find out) sharing my mistakes could actually give my daughter a better understanding
to why values and wise decision-making skills are important.
<p>
Q: So now you’re "having a heart-to-heart" with other teens through This book?
<p>
I sure hope that’s how they see it! Those first talks with my daughter brought us
closer, but I knew not every girl has had someone to offer advice such
as: "build
a supporting cast of people you can trust" or "consider the character qualities
you’d like for a leading man."
<p>
Q: Okay, so your book is for teens, but what about the moms out there Who feel they
have past mistakes they don’t want to share?
<p>
Well, they could each write a book about their teen years! Ha- just kidding!

But for those moms out there, maybe your teen years were not as drama-filled as
mine. Or, if they were, maybe you are fearful of sharing them with your teen. The truth is, teens learn best not with information and knowledge, but rather by hearing life examples and understanding how decisions can affect all parts of our lives.
So, time to get brave, Mom. Open your heart and share what worked and what didn’t.
It just might help your daughter write a better script for herself.

Tricia Goyer has published over 300 articles for national publications
such
as Today’s
Christian Woman, Guideposts for Kids, and Focus on the Family, and is The co-author of Meal Time Moments (Focus on the Family). She has led numerous Bible Studies,
and her study notes appear in the Women of Faith Study Bible (Zondervan).
She has written seven novels for Moody Publishing: From Dust and Ashes (2003); Night
Song (2004), Dawn of a Thousand Nights (2005); Arms of Deliverance (2006); A Valley of Betrayal (2007); A Shadow of Treason (Fall 2007); and A Whisper of Freedom (Spring 2008).
Night Song was awarded American Christian Fiction Writer’s 2005 Book of the Year for Best Long Historical. Dawn of a Thousand Nights won the same award in 2006.
Tricia has also written Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom(Zondervan,
2004), 10 Minutes to Showtime (Thomas Nelson, 2004),and GenerationNeXtParenting
(Multnomah, 2006). Life Interrupted was a 2005 Gold Medallion finalist in the YouthCategory.
Also, coming out in the next year are: My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson,2007),
Generation NeXt Marriage (Multnomah, Spring 2008), and 3:16-the teen version of
the a book by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson, Spring 2008).<p>
Tricia and her husband John live with their three children in Kalispell, Montana.Tricia’s grandmother also lives with them, and Tricia volunteers mentoring teen
moms and leading children’s church. Although Tricia doesn’t live on a farm,she
can hit one with a rock by standing on her back porch and giving it a good throw.
Tricia has two books that will be out soon …
A Shadow of Treason (Moody Publishing), Fall 2007
Generation NeXt Marriage (Multnomah), January 2008
<p>

This was an interesting thing last night, I found it interesting as they did not say anything negative really about it, just this is a interesting movement. The only negative was a minister who thought that God did not call us to excess in this day and age and I have never heard children referred to in that way! Nightline link<p> The wife spoke about her submission to her husband and how it was not in an oppressive way, how it was a wonderful partnership. They had 8 children! The news man giving it, said at the end that he grew up in a family of 10 children and said that it was great unless you were a person who desired peace and quiet! <p> I always desired peace and quiet, but I love all my brothers and sisters!